Wanjiko Eke
The daughter of African immigrants, Wanjiko Eke grew up deep in the heart of Texas (Austin) and launched a career in comedy “on a whim” after buying a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. Her impulsive move proved to be a courageous gamble that paid off. Since then, she has appeared in comedy shows and festivals all over the country. Now a successful stand-up comedian and writer based in NYC, Eke has been featured in TimeOut New York and performs regularly at New York Comedy Club, where she co-hosts (and co-produces) the monthly Witch Hunt, a predominantly female comedy show inspired by the Salem witch trials in Colonial Massachusetts. “This show is in memory of those women and all the female comedians who, when they see an all-male lineup, want to set themselves on fire,” reads the show’s description. For the entire month of August, Eke will be performing in Lasers in the Jungle at UCB Theatre in the East Village. She hopes other LGBTs will find the same kind of success in being unabashedly themselves. “Embrace who you are, and go do whatever it is you choose to do,” Eke says, “and help as many people as you can along the way.” –SLO
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